By Imran Nasir

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - Pakistan on Wednesday has reaffirmed its solidarity with Kashmiri people on eve of the India Republic Day which the Kashmiri people observed as “Black Day”.

In a statement, issued from the foreign ministry, said as the Kashmiri people marked Jan. 26 as “Black Day” in Indian occupied Kashmir, Pakistan and other countries across the world against the India’s oppression.

“The government and people of Pakistan reaffirm their unshakable resolve to continue to raise their voice and extend all possible support for the right of self-determination of the people of IIOJK [India Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir],” said the foreign ministry spokesman.

He lamented and called the Indian forces further intensifying the military siege of the innocent people in Kashmir in recent days and said New Delhi committing human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied region.

“Coercing innocent Kashmiris to hoist Indian flags on the Republic Day is typical of India's high-handedness to project a false sense of ‘normalcy’ and a hopeless attempt at masking its systematic and widespread oppression,” said the spokesman.

On Wednesday morning, the Indian security forces hoisted its national flag at Clock Tower in Srinagar, the main city of Kashmir, however hours after the local people was taken it down.

“Tricolour disappears in less than a couple of hours,” Omar Abdullah former Chief Minister of Kashmir tweeted.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry also criticised New Delhi for decision to award gallantry awards to those personnel who are involved in war crimes and human rights violations against the innocent Kashmiri people.

“The Indian government's decision to award so-called gallantry awards to the personnel of its occupation forces is yet another afront to the dignity of the countless victims of India's state-terrorism characterized by gross human rights violations, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, suspension of fundamental freedoms, rapes, and the use of draconian laws such as Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Public Safety Act with complete impunity,” its said.

He added that Islamabad already presented evidence of war crimes and human rights violations committed by Indian forces in the Himalayan region and urged the international community to hold Indian accountable for these crimes.

Kashmir a disputed territory which is held by India and Pakistan in parts but both countries claimed by in full. A small part of the region is also held by China.

Pakistan and India fought three wars in 1948, 1965 and 1971, two of them over Kashmir.

Majority of Kashmiri people want to join Pakistan and some groups are fighting against the Indian rule from several decades.

The UN Security Council also passed several resolutions and support the right of self-determination of Kashmiri people, however India didn’t implemented the resolutions despite passing of seven decades.

According to several human rights groups, so far nearly 100,000 people have been killed in the conflict in last three decades.